ethmoidal foramina, fora´mina ethmoida´lia small openings in the ethmoid bone at the junction of the medial wall with the roof of the orbit, the anterior transmitting the nasal branch of the ophthalmic nerve and the anterior ethmoid vessels, the posterior transmitting the posterior ethmoid vessels.

incisive foramen one of the openings of the incisive canals into the incisive fossa of the hard palate.

interventricular foramen a passage from the third to the lateral ventricle of the brain.

intervertebral foramen a passage for a spinal nerve and vessels formed by notches on the pedicles of adjacent vertebrae.

jugular foramen an opening formed by the jugular notches of the temporal and occipital bones.

foramen mag´num a large opening in the anterior inferior part of the occipital bone, between the cranial cavity and spinal canal.

mastoid foramen an opening in the temporal bone behind the mastoid process.

ethmoidal foramina , fora´mina ethmoida´lia small openings in the ethmoid bone at the junction of the medial wall with the roof of the orbit, the anterior transmitting the nasal branch of the ophthalmic nerve and the anterior ethmoid vessels, and the posterior transmitting the posterior ethmoid vessels.

incisive foramen one of the openings of the incisive canals into the incisive fossa of the hard palate.

infraorbital foramen a passage for the infraorbital nerve and artery.

interventricular foramen a communication between the lateral and third ventricles.

intervertebral foramen a passage for a spinal nerve and vessels that is formed by notches on pedicles of adjacent vertebrae.

jugular foramen an opening formed by the jugular notches on the temporal and occipital bones.

foramen of Key and Retzius an opening at the end of each lateral recess of the fourth ventricle by which the ventricular cavity communicates with the subarachnoid space.

lacerate foramen, anterior an elongated cleft between the wings of the sphenoid bone, transmitting nerves and vessels.

foramen

Foramen

foramen

foramen (f·räˑ·mn),

n a naturally occurring opening in human bones or membranous structures that allows the passage of nerves and blood vessels.

fo·ra·men

, pl. foramina (fōr-ā'mĕn, mi-nă) [TA]

An aperture or perforation through a bone or a membranous structure.

[L. an aperture, fr. foro, to pierce]

foramen (fərā´mən),

n1. a natural opening in a bone or other structure. 2. a natural opening in the root, usually at or near the apical end.

Foramen.

foramen, apical

(fərā´mən ā´pikəl), n the opening entryway at the root's apex, from which the blood vessels and nerves radiate out to the rest of the tooth. Often located within a range of several millimeters of the precise anatomic high point of the root.

foramen cecum

(fərā´mən sē´kum), n a small, pit-like depression in the dorsal surface of the tongue where the median lingual sulcus meets the lingual tonsil.

foramen, greater palatine,

n a small opening of the hard palate located near the second and third molars in which the palatine vessels and greater palatine nerve travel.

foramen, incisive

n (nasopalatine foramen), 1. the opening of the incisive (nasopalatine) canal marked by the incisive papilla. 2. the foramen, or opening, in the midline of the palate in the region where the premaxilla and maxillae join, which is situated palatal to the maxillary central incisors; contains branches of the right and left nasopalatine vessels and nerve.

foramen, infraorbital,

n a small opening in the maxilla at the terminal end of the infraorbital canal. Its location can be roughly approximated by mapping the intersection of an imaginary straight line drawn between the eyes and the nose.

foramen, lingual,

n a small opening that can be present in the midline of the mandible through which an artery connecting to the sublingual right and left lingual arteries travels. Cannot be noted radiographically.

foramen magnum,

n an opening in the occipital bone through which the spinal cord enters the spinal column.

foramen, mandibular,

n an opening on the medial aspect of the vertical ramus of the mandible approximately midway between the mandibular and gonial notches; may be located posterior to the middle of the ramus. It carries interior alveolar vessels and the inferior alveolar nerve.

foramen, mental,

n an opening on the lateral aspect of the body of the mandible inferior to the apices of the mandibular second or first premolar. The mental vessels and nerve pass through this foramen to travel through the mandibular canal to supply the lip. In edentulous mandibles, the bone may have been resorbed, so that it is in such a position that the denture base will cover it.

foramen, nasopalatine,

n See foramen, incisive.

foramen, ovale

(ōvāl´), n1. an oval-shaped opening located between the two atria of a developing fetal heart. 2. an oval-shaped opening located in the sphenoid bone in which travels the mandibular nerve, emissary veins, accessory meningeal artery, and otic ganglion.

foramen, rotundum

(rōtun´dəm), n a round opening located in the sphenoid bone in which travels the maxillary nerve.

foramen

pl. foramina [L.] a natural opening or passage, especially one into or through a bone.

alar foramen

a foramen which perforates the wing of the atlas in some species and transmits the vertebral artery; appears as a notch in dogs.

apical foramen

the opening at or near the apex of the root of a tooth and into the dental cavity.

auditory foramen (external)

the external acoustic meatus.

auditory foramen (internal)

the passage for the auditory (vestibulocochlear) and facial nerves in the pars petrosa of the temporal bone. Called also internal acoustic meatus.

caudal palatine foramen

the caudal opening into the greater palatine canal.

caval foramen

one of the three openings in the diaphragm; situated in the central tendinous part of the diaphragm; called also vena caval foramen, foramen venae cavae.

cecal foramen, foramen cecum

a blind opening between the frontal crest and the crista galli.

foramen cecum linguae

an occasional finding in humans; marks the boundary of the caudal and rostral contributions to the tongue, the site of the origin of the thyroid gland; called also cecum foramen.

condyloid foramen (anterior)

hypoglossal canal.

condyloid foramen (posterior)

condylar canal.

epiploic foramen

an opening connecting the omental bursa with the rest of the abdominal cavity; situated on the visceral surface of the liver dorsal to the portal fissure. Called also foramen of Winslow.

e. foramen hernia strangulation

rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction in horses.

incisive foramen

one of the openings of the incisive canals into the incisive fossa of the hard palate.

infraorbital foramen

the facial opening of the infraorbital canal, a prominent feature of the lateral aspect of the face; provides a point of emergence for the infraorbital nerve.

interventricular foramen

a passage from the third to the lateral ventricle of the brain.

intervertebral foramen

a passage for a spinal nerve and vessels formed by notches on the pedicles of adjacent vertebrae.

jugular foramen

an opening formed by the jugular notches of the temporal and occipital bones.

foramen lacerum

the irregular gap between the basioccipital, petrous temporal and sphenoid wing bones, making up a large, membrane-covered foramen in horses, but reduced to a slit in other domestic mammals.

foramen magnum

a large opening in the occipital bone, between the cranial cavity and spinal canal.

foramen magnum herniation

see transtentorial herniation.

mandibular foramen

in the medial surface of the mandible; inferior alveolar vessels and nerve enter here.

maxillary foramen

one of the foraminae ventral to the orbit; leads to the infraorbital canal.

mental foramen

foramina on the lateral aspect of the mandible from which the inferior alveolar nerve and blood vessels emerge to supply the chin.

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